Chip cards are in particular used in mobile radio telecommunications such as, in particular, in the cellular mobile radio networks according to the GSM or the UMTS standard for unique and secure identification of the subscribers as well as for the provision of different special functions and value-added services. The chip cards that, depending on the underlying generation and type of system standard, are designated as UICC, SIM, USIM, R-UIM or also ISIM, carry a plurality of special parameters, secret codes and further elements of various kinds, for example with operator data, provider data, product data, or subscriber data. In summary, these chip cards and chip card applications are designated as subscriber identification module or as SIM (subscriber identity module).
Further fields of use of chip cards are credit cards, debit cards or other identification modules, in particular including storage chips on which a readable, individual, personalized data set is stored.
If hereinafter a subscriber data set, subscriber identity module or the like is mentioned, this means generally in each case a data set, or identification module or the like without limitation of the use of the invention to the field of mobile radio technology. The field of mobile radio technology and in particular use of the invention for personalizing subscriber identity modules of mobile radio subscribers for operation of mobile radio terminals is only a preferred field of use in which the invention can be used in a particularly advantageous manner. However, the invention is not limited to this field.
For starting up a mobile terminal and the subscription of the mobile radio service, a subscriber identity module (SIM) is to be equipped with a subscriber data set that includes in particular the subscriber identification (IMSI). Today, such subscriber identity modules (SIM) are equipped in the run-up on the part of the mobile radio network operator with the appropriate data to be able to identify the user during use of a mobile radio network. A nonpersonalized SIM is not suited for use in a mobile radio terminal, i.e. the use of the services of a mobile radio network with a nonpersonalized SIM is not possible. The specific data that are required, on the one hand, for use of the services and, on the other, for billing the used services have to uniquely identify the user to prevent misuse.
A disadvantage is that for using a plurality of devices an increasing number of SIM cards is necessary. Thus, a plurality of SIM cards have to be assigned to one user, or the user has to switch the SIM card among the devices to operate different mobile radio terminals, which is very complicated and inconvenient.
Currently the situation is such that new SIM cards can only be issued by the mobile radio network operator, which involves high effort and costs. In other fields the issuance of new chip cards is also restricted to the system operator.